Curiosity in Motion: Gemma Warren’s Creative Process

Gemma Warren is a British-Canadian photographer and motion director.

She has a diverse background both commercially and artistically and has gained recognition in recent years working for internationally recognised brands and clients, including MAC Cosmetics, Nike, Reformation, Ford, Canada Goose, and The New York Times.

Her work has been screened, exhibited, and published globally, winning awards and grants from the Canada Arts Council and the Magenta Foundation for Photography.

Her directorial work has been published in multiple outlets and premiered at Cannes LIONS.

Name: Gemma Warren
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Repped by/in: Good Company US, Common Good Canada

LBB> Tell us about some upcoming projects that you're excited about?

Gemma> I’m currently working towards two personal projects shooting in the UK this summer. One is a documentary on the Gaelic farmers on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, where one side of my family originates. The other is a short film script being developed to also shoot in the UK, but in the North of England, where I spent my teenage years.

LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that you see opening new opportunities?

Gemma> I’m seeing some slowing down and shifts in production approaches. I’ve had so many conversations with peers about how confusing and unpredictable the last few years have been and, as a result, I’ve seen more creative conversations, more interesting ideas surface, and more collaborations from agencies and directors.

The industry is always shifting, but everyone feels excited to work these days, and I think there’s a humility that is checking us all and making our work feel more sincere and unapologetic.

LBB> What elements of a script set one apart from the other, and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Gemma> I get excited when something gives me an opportunity to create something I’m personally moved by, whether the concept allows me to play in an abstract way, or a more focused subject matter that requires deeper research into a subject or approach.

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Gemma> I start by thinking about why I was selected for the project in the first place—what was it about my work specifically that makes sense to the clients—and try to bring a sense of self into the work.

Sometimes it makes sense to push a treatment, and other times simplicity feels like the best approach.

But I’m also extremely detail-driven, and for me the treatment process is exciting because I deep-dive into image research and a subject. I love creative direction and art direction, so I find this is one of the most enjoyable parts of the production.

LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with or don’t have a big affinity with, or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? And how do you do it

Gemma> Even if I don’t have a familiar or consumer relationship with a product or brand, there’s almost always something I connect to, and often I’ll start there. I think about the tone – what story are we telling, what perspective, and how do we tell it? I’m so driven by emotion, human connection, and the experience, that this is almost never a roadblock.

Of course, I will research and ask questions about a product's functions or tech if there are things I need to know for more technical shoots, but I enjoy that too because I get to learn about so much more than my own wheelhouse.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have when making an ad? And why?

Gemma> Having a direct line of honest communication and thoughtful dialogue with your teams - be it agency or crew - is crucial.

Showing up knowing you’re all there to make the creative as great as possible, with all parties equally prepared to get their hands dirty.

An amazing producer is always key too, as you’re spending day and night with them. Having someone in your corner who can address things in the way you would like to be heard is super important.

And finally, finding that free flow state with your DOP, as ultimately they’re an extension of your vision. Without that communication and trust it can get sticky.

LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about—is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

Gemma> I come from a more fine art, music and documentary art background so any opportunity to explore any of those worlds within each project is huge.

I enjoy projects where I get to come in with that photographic brainpower and translate it into a moving image, thinking often of telling those stories and vignettes through performance and emotion rather than dialogue.

I am shifting into more personal practice work as I mentioned both in the narrative and art/doc space so I’m just really excited to explore where that goes and contribute projects I'm passionate about with stories I feel deserving of being told.

LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter, and why is it wrong?

Gemma> I think When you work in the fashion/luxury/lifestyle space, people perhaps see you as an aesthetic-driven director—less about the narrative of the projects and more focused on interesting compositions and overall creative direction. But I’m actually a very inward person when it comes to writing, approaching, and putting myself into the work.

I do love fashion and aesthetics and the history of photography and art as this is how I started out in the industry. The more personal work I do, the more I’m inspired and interested in merging the spaces between artistic documentary practices—which is my educational background—and my commercial practice.

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Gemma> Recently, I’ve had really wonderful experiences where I’ve had open and creative clients who have really trusted me, but I’ve also been on jobs awarded for a specific direction and then entirely turned on its head.

Sometimes you have to step away and know so many factors are beyond your control or desires. It always comes down to how connected you are with the team and the project. Sometimes you push, and sometimes you guide, and sometimes you just show up and do your best with the allowances you’re given.

LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?

Gemma> Always here for this. I didn’t have a mentorship or any form of shadowing experience myself, so I think it’s really important and I’d love for the industry to be more diverse.

It’s definitely happening, and I’ve seen a lot of progress in the last five years, but I’d love to see more mentorship programs and agency agendas, offering more long-term assistance and aid in those relationships—specifically with students from more financially diverse backgrounds.

I was working three jobs to get myself through school, watching peers in the same programme shadow their parents' sets on weekends because they had early access to the industry. I understand what it’s like to feel on the outside of the industry looking in.

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?

Gemma> I’m not against AI, but there are certainly practices and things I am cautious of.

I fall into the old-school way of working so my work typically doesn’t get too tech-heavy as I like to work in camera as much as I can. But we have definitely been having more and more conversations about shooting with virtual screens and generated background visuals.

It’s about implementing whatever makes sense for the job and finding the best way to get there. I try not to get too attached to any of it because things are always shifting, but on that note, I also won’t change my practice to keep up with the times when things will be different a year from now.

Staying informed and leaning on experienced people when it comes to using those technologies is best. It’s nice to understand and troubleshoot with people who are in those worlds 24/7 because it’s fascinating what can be done now.

LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best—and why?

Gemma> My favourite music video this year was for an amazing artist called Tei Shi (Valerie). Our friend Kevin Kloecker, who is a music commissioner, connected us, and it was just a very beautiful, artistic, and collaborative experience.

Val went straight into learning the track and the choreography backwards so we could shoot the entire project in reverse.

I built the content for the LED wall panel we shot against, which felt like a project in itself. This brings me back to my point about being connected on the vision, feeling, and art of it all.

When Drew Bienneman came on it was just perfect–the work is something I’m really proud of.

Commercially, I love a series of three videos I did for Tradesy, which was one of my first jobs with Good Company. For this project, we built another really large rear projection made up of rendered digital works of light art, inspired by Rothko, and so the back-end and production process was really fun. I enjoyed building those worlds.

My most recent project was with Knix for their new FreeFlex bra.

This was a Canadian production and it was a great experience working with a brand that supported my vision. Whenever I go back to work in Canada it feels like school again, because we’ve all known each other for 15 years–it never feels like work.